Thrust bearing



May 17, 1955 w. DONALDSON ET AL 2,708,610

THRUST BEARING Filed Nov. 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENT ORS Wa//er E. Dona Ala/en W Har) /afson son MM/v! gf MGZ,

ATTORNEYS.

May 17, 1955 Iw. E. DONALDSON ET Al.

THRUST BEARING 2 Sheets-*Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1'? 1951 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O Mic-1.1 assignors to The D owCllemical Company, Midland, Mich., a corporation o f Delaware ApplicationNovember 17, 1951, Serial No. 256,880

6, claims... rc1. 308,462;

The invention relates to bearings. the invention concerns and improved objects being the provision of a multiple collar bearing which. is compact, easily constructed. and assembled, and capable of sustaining thrust loads as well as radial loads.

Various designs of multiple collar thrust bearings are known in which provision is made for takingthe end thrust of a rotating shaft suchas a propeller shaft of a ship. Onefof the disadvantages of conventional multiple collar thrust bearings is their bulkinesswhich precludes their use with shafts that are parallel to each other and' close together where the thrust bearings are to be located. Another-difficulty is that the shaft collar membersare formed' integrally with the shaft itself', thereby necessitating theprovisi'on of a relatively large shaft diameter at theV collar4 portion andi a laborious machining operation on this portion to-form therein the shaft collars.v Still another diliiculty is providing adequate lubrication for. the bearingl surfaces.

It is-an object of the invention to provide a multiple collar or disc thrust bearing for a shaft capable of. taking; very large endwisethrust loads in which the foregoing and other disadvantages are overcome. @ther objects and advantages will` become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which is set forth, as illustrative, an embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawing,-

Fig. l is a side elevation partly inl section showingthe assembled' thrust bearing provided on the endlofa shaft.Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross section of the thrustV bearing on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3' is a fragmentary crosssection of' the thrust bearing on the line 3 3 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is an alternate formV of a shaft thrustcollar.

Fig. 5is an: alternate form of'a housing-thrustl collar.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross section on the line 6 6 ofFigs. 4fand`5".

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a-fragmentary cross section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 4. i

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross section on the linev 9 9 of Fig. 5:

Fig; l0` is afragmentarycross section on thei line 11).. 10' of Fig. 5;

Fig. 11iv isan enlarged 5viewofaportion of Figf, 1'.

Referring tothe drawing in-detail, there is shown one More particularly cross section on the linel 7 7 end-'of ashaft1r;"for-whichthe thrust bearing is provided,

the shafthaving a reduced' diametersection 2' the inner endy of'which forms the shoulder 3 with the shaft. The outer end has` a threadedportion 4. A keyway. 5, in the form of a longitudinal groove, extendsfrom the threaded portion 4y to the shoulder-3.

The` reduced diameter Section 2 of the shaft is shown extending throughA theA bearing housing. 6 which is inz one` PFPC?.l andprovided with; alongitudinal cylindrical bore. 7; extending-1 from, oneend 8; ofthe-housing1 to near the bearing among the- Patented May 17, 1955 2 other end 9 of the housing, therebyA providing a shoulder 10. at the inside of -the` end 9. Theend' 9 is provided' with an opening 11 concentric with the bore 7. A keyway 12', in the form off a l'ongitudinalgroove, is formed in the bore` of the housingand extends the length of the bore 71 The reduced diameter section 2` ofthe shaft and the cylindrical bore 7 are provided with thrustand radial' load bearing elements in the form of two sets of flat annuli or'collars with.4 spacers between them. One of these sets. of collars, designated by numeral 13 and their spacers designated by numeralr14, referred to hereinafter as shaft collars and shaft spacers, respectively, isv keyedy toi thel shaft 2. The other of these sets of collars, designated by,y numeral 15 and their spacers designated by numeral 16', referred tov hereinafter as housing collars and housing spacers, respectively, is keyed tov the housing in thebore 7.

The individual shaft collars of the set of'shaft collars 13 are broad faced rings all alike having a central bore 17 (Fig. 3) to admit the reduced diameter` section 2 of.' the shaft. Each shaft collar is provided with a keyway notch, 184 adapted to register with the keyway' 5. Theindividual shaft spacers. of the set of shaft spacers- 111i are narrow faced` rings, all alike, having a central boreA 19 (Fig. 2) to admit the reduced diameter section 2 of' the shaft. Each shaft spacer isprovided with a` keyway; notch 20`like notch 18.

The individual housing collars of the set off housing/ y collars 15 are broad; faced rings, all alike, having a cen-v tral bore21 ('Fig. 2) slightly larger in diameter than the outside diameter of a shaft spacer 14. Each housing` collar has-an outsidediameterpermitting it to lit into the bore 7 of the` bearing housing and a keyway notch 22.in. the periphery adapted to register with the keyway 112. The individual housing spacers of' the set of housing spacers 16 are narrow faced rings, all alike, having anl inside periphery 23.` (-Fig. 3;). slightly larger thany the periphery Z4v of a shaft collar. The periphery of each-y housing spacer is provided with a keyway notch 25v adapted to register with keyway 121. in the bearingy housing,

The housing spacers` haver the same thickness as the shaft spacers and;4 thisl thickness is, greater than that off theI collars of.V the shaft and housing all of which have they same thickness. Having thespacers thicker than thecollars4 allows lubricant-to reach the bearing surfaces as willi be apparent as the description continues.

In assembling the, collars and spacers on. the shaft and- `inl the bearing housing a4 key- 26 is inserted in the shaft keyway-5, the;key, extending the length of the keyway. A

spacery27 for the inner end of the reduced diameter section 2 of; the shaft` in the form ofi a collar of' suitable length and having a keyway 28 adapted to register with keyway,- 5, isy slipped onto: section 2'v with the keyway` 28j registering with thel key 26 in keyway 5 of the reduced' diameterV section- 2'. The spacer 27. ismo-ved along section 2 until; the spacerabuts` the shoulder 3. The reduced diameter section 2 is then inserted intothe'bore 7 of the, housing throughopening 11. Inthis position, the inner endl 29.- of; the spacerL 27 extends into the borey 7 Y beyond., the shoulder 10'. a distance equal' to about thethicknss Of'a housinggfspacer. A keyGf adapted: to il:y into theI housingkeyway- 12 is: placedin position; in thef keyway 12, the keyw extending the length off' the bore-7.1 A housing spacer 16 is insertedinto thebore 7, with thekeyway notch 25 positioned over the key-30, and moveda along the bore 7 `into contact with the shoulder- 10, Nextv ahousing collar isinsertedv into-the bore 7-, withthe keyway.y notch 22'. positioned over the key 30,V and moved' along the boreA intoA contact with the previously intro: duced housing. spacer. A. shaft spacer isy placed upon the reduced diameter section 2, with the keyway notch 20 positioned over the shaft key 26, and moved along the section 2 into contact with the spacer collar 27. The shaft spacer is followed by a shaft collar with the keyway notch 18 positioned lover shaft key 26, the shaft collar being moved along the section 2 into contact with the previously placed shaft spacer. This procedure, of placing a housing spacer followed by a housing collar in the housing followed by a shaft spacer and then a shaft collar on the reduced diameter section of the shaft, is continued until a sufficient' number of spacers and collars are placed in position to occupy the length of the bore 7, and end up with a housing spacer as the last of these elements introduced into the housing, and a shaft collar as the last of these elements placed on the reduced diameter section 2. A spacer collar 31 is then placed over the outer end of the reduced section 2 followed by a nut 32 which is turned on the threaded portion 4 and tightened so as to tightly compress the set of shaft spacers and shaft collars between the spacer collars 27 and 31. A housing head 33, having a central opening 34, is securedto the housing 6 by cap screws 35. The housing head 33 retains the housing collars and housing spacers in place in the bore 7.

A cup 36 for directing lubricant into the bearing is secured to the housing head 34 by cap screws 37. A pipe connection 38 is provided in the cap for the admission thereto of lubricant. A lubricant slinger ring 39 is provided on shaft l near shoulder 3. Secured to the end 9 of the housing is an open-ended lubricant retaining collar 40 having an inwardly turned edge 41 around one open end which is adjacent to the slinger ring 39. A pipe connection 42 is provided in the lubricant retaining collar 40 by means of which lubricant, discharged from the bear ing into the collar, may be withdrawn for reuse.

Although the shaft collars 13 and housing collars l5 are shown in Figs. l and ll as having plane faces, it has been found that better lubrication results and higher thrust loads may be carried when the faces of either the set of housing collars or the set of shaft collars are radially ribbed or lluted so as to present a wavy face to an adjacent collar. Collars to this kind are illustrated in Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4, 7, and 8, there is shown a radially wave shaft collar provided with a central opening 43 which is made large enough for the collars to be fitted over the reduced diameter section 2 of the shaftv in similar manner to, and in place of, the

plane faced shaft collars 13. The radially waved shaft collars are provided with an annular portion 44 around the central opening. The annular portion 44 is tlat on both sides for a width equal to the width of a shaft spacer. The remainder of the faces of the collar is radially waved as by pressing the collar between suitable dies. The

waved surfaces provide a series of crests 45 alternating with valleys 46 on each face of the collar, the valleys being about 0.05 inch in depth, for example, below the plane of the crests as indicated at 47 in Fig. 6. The

overall diameter of the waved shaft collars is the same as j that of the plane shaft collars. Each waved shaft collar is provided with a keyway notch 4S adapted for usc with shaft key 26.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 5, there is shown a radially waved housing collar. This is provided with an outer annular portion 49 which is vflat on both sides,

the width of the flat portion being the same as that of a housing spacer. The diameter of the waved collar is the same as that of a plane faced collar 15, which it may replace, the outer annular portion 49 has cut into it a keyway opening 50 for use with housing key 30. The waved collar is provided with a central opening 51 which is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the shaft spacers. The remainder of the collar is provided with a .series of radial flutes or waves 52, in similar manner to the waved shaft collars, radiating from the central opening 51. A

j It is manifest that one may use a set of radially waved shaft collars with a set of plane housing collars or a set of radially waved housing collars with a set of plane shaft collars, or as shown in Fig. l, both the shaft collars and the housing collars may have plane faces.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l and ll, it is manifest that in operation the radial load of shaft 1 is transmitted by the outer edge 54 of the shaft spacers to the inner edge of the central bore 21 of the housing collars and by periphery 24 of the shaft collars to the inside periphery 23 of the housing spacers; and the endwise thrust loads of the shaft 1 are transmitted by either face of the shaft collars to the adjacent faces of the housing collars. The endwise thrust loads and radial loads are carried in similar manner when either the plane faced housing collars or the plane faced shaft collars are replaced by a radially waved housing collar or a radially waved shaft collar, respectively. However, when the radialy waved collars are used, lubrication is facilitated.

Lubrication is obtained by introducing the lubricant into one end of the bearing housing, as through the pipe connection 38. The lubricant thus introduced passes over the bearing faces and bearing edges of the housing and shaft collars and the bearing edges of the housing and shaft spacers in traversing from one end of the bearing to the other and is discharged from the bearing into the oil-retaining collars 40.

We claim:

l. In a multiple collar thrust bearing the combination comprising a one-piece housing having a bore extending therethrough; a shaft having a portion adapted to extend through the bore; a set of housing bearing collars in the said bore, each of said housing bearing collars being disclike and having a central opening adapted to encircle the said portion of the shaft and a periphery adapted to fit the said bore; a housing bearing collar spacer between each housing bearing collar adjacent the outer periphery thereof, each said housing bearing spacer being thicker than a housing bearing collar; a set of shaft bearing i collars on the said portion of the shaft, each of said shaft bearing collars being disc-like and having a central opening adapted to fit the said portion of the shaft and a thickness the same as a housing bearing collar; a shaft bearing collar spaced on the said shaft between each shaft bearing collar adjacent to the innerwperiphery thereof,

each said shaft bearing collar spacer having the same thickness as a housing bearing collar spacer, said housing bearing collars alternating with the said shaft bearing collars from end to end of the said bore; clamping means secured to the housing adapted to retain in the housing the housing bearing collars and housing bearing collar spacers; and clamping means secured to the shaft adapted to retain the shaft bearing collars and shaft spacers on the shaft. y

2. A multiple collar thrust bearing according to claim l in which the housing bearing collars have radially waved faces.

3. A multiple collar thrust bearing according to claim l in which the shaft bearing collars have radially vwaved faces.

4. ln a multiple collar thrust bearing the combination comprising a housing having a cylindrical bore extendW ing through the housing; a shaft having an end portion adapted to extend through the said cylindrical bore; a set of housing bearing collars in the said cylindrical bore, each of the housing bearing collars of the said set being in the form of an annulus having greater breadth than thickness and adapted to t into the said bore and encircle the shaft; a housing bearing collar spacer in the said cylindrical bore between each housing bearing collar, each of said housing bearing collar spacers being in the form of an annulus of the same diameter as the housing bearing collars, and a thickness greater than the housing bearing collars; a set of shaft bearing collars on the said endportion ofthe shaft, each of said'shaft bearing collars being in the form of an annulus having a greater breadth than thickness and adapted to tt onto the shaft, the outside diameter of the said shaft bearing collars being less than the inside diameter of the said set of housing bearing collar spacers, and thc thickness of said shaft bearing collars being the same as the housing bearing collars; a shaft bearing collar spacer on the said shaft between each shaft bearing collar, each of said shaft bearing collar spacers being in the form of an annulus having the same inside diameter as the said shaft bearing collars and an outside diameter less than that of the inside diameter of the said housing bearing collars and the thickness of the said shaft bearing collar spacers being the same as the housing beating collar spacers, said housing bearing collars of the said set thereof alternating with said shaft bearing collars of the set thereof from end to end of the said cylindrical bore; clamping means secured to the housing adapted to hold the said sets of housing bearing collars and spacers in place in the housing; and clamping means secured` to the shaft adapted to hold the shaft bearing collars and spacers of the said sets thereof in place on the shaft.

5. A multiple collar thrust bearing according to claim 4 in which the housing bearing collars have radially waved faces.

6. A multiple collar thrust bearing according to claim 4 in which the shaft bearing collars have radially waved faces.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 563,134 Campbell June 30, 1896 1,068,987 Dianovszky Iuly 29, 1913 1,076,399 Wagner Oct. 21, 1913 1,126,071 Peter Ian. 26, 1915 1,309,763 McKennitt July 15, 1919 1,626,237 Hodgkinson Apr. 26, 1927 2,362,667 Schmidt Nov. 14, 1944 l2,380,179 Huber July lO, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,419 Switzerland June 24, 1896 11,995 Great Britain 1901 

